Working Out: Spanish Style

Last week I joined the closest gym to where I live, Fitness First. In the week that I've been there, I've definitely noticed some interesting cultural differences that I've mentally bookmarked. (Note: before coming to Spain, I worked at a gym, so admittedly, I probably find it all a lot more interesting than most others.)

• I have seen some of the shortest shorts I've seen yet in Spain. On a man.
  

• I encountered some of the most obvious fake boobs I had seen yet, and similar to the US, this woman had every intention of showing of what she paid for.
  

• The relaxed attitude really does permeate every single part of their culture. In the US I was used to being kind of the slow one on the cardio machines. Here, I could probably beat 90% of the gym-goers in a race. Many people mosey on the machines the same way they do on the streets.

• I have never seen the weight machines be used so much as chairs. I think most of the problem is that they have never learned about "super sets", and instead do all three sets of a machine at the same time, taking extended breaks just sitting on the machine. This is especially frustrating for someone like me who likes to work my sets quickly. Not only am I a firm believer that this is not only a rude way to use the machines, but also the incorrect way to workout. Mostly, I blame it on the trainers, who during the "first workout" failed to even point this out (probably because they seem to know very little about actually working out).

• When I was taking a tour of the gym before actually joining, my consultant showed me first the weight machines and then the free weight area. He made a point of telling me that although this was the free weight area, it wasn't really an area that was for me to use and I would be better off sticking to the machines. I'm not sure if he said that because he somehow perceived a lack of experience on my end, or simply because the free weight area is dominated by males, and it is meant to stay that way. Although I haven't yet ventured into this area, I intend to disturb the delicate hormone balance before my time is up.
  

• There is absolutely no policy about wiping down the machines after use. Now, admittedly, in the US, although it is asked of gym patrons to do so, it is not always the case. However, there aren't even signs or requests or materials to even fake it. They ask you to put on disposable gloves at the market when you pick out your fruit, but don't worry about wiping down your machine.
  

• The services offered made me laugh. Along with the usual classes, trainers, child care, etc., Fitness First offers a wide selection of DVDs to rent, a computer with internet, and a coffee bar with tables. Spaniards will never miss a moment to sit down and gab over cafe con leche.
  

The Ferria - Jaen style!

Last weekend I made my way to Jaen for their annual fair (La Ferria). It was a great excuse to go visit my favorite ladies who were placed in Jaen, see another city, and experience something completely Spanish.

Let me back up a bit. In Spain (or at least Andalucia), most cities/towns have an annual fair. In the past, they served much the same purposes as the fairs in the United States; the farmers came together to show off and sell their produce and livestock. But unlike the US where the fairs still have some semblance of the old pastoral traditions, no longer do Spanish fairs. Jaen's ferria struck me as a mix between the country howdown and and overflowing night in West Hollywood. There were the bumper cars and fun houses, cotton candy and expensive fair food, and many other typical fair fare all alongside rows and rows of tents set up for bars and dancing, each one a unique discoteca.

So like most other nightly happenings in Spain, we showed up to the fair after shortly after midnight when things were still quiet. After dabbling in some of the delectable food offerings, including filled churros, candied almonds, and patatas (um, there are always patatas), taking a bathroom break at an especially heinous bathroom, we finally found ourselves dancing away at one of the more popular tents, Mombasa. As the time rolled close to 3, we were pooped (as we usually do, we had intentions of staying out all night like the Spanish do), and we made it back to the apartment.

We made it back to the fair the next night to only be welcomed by large swarms of people that came to take part in the last night of the festivities. Being so overwhelmed by the numbers and the large amounts of trash and broken glass on the ground (trash cans become somewhat nominal at the fair), we decided to walk around once to see anything we missed the first night, eat again what we liked before, and dance to one last song, before calling it a night. As we were walking back at nearly 2am, it was as if we were salmon swimming upstream, and it was obvious that most people were making their way to the fair at that early hour. Near the Plaza del Torros, we found Jaen's botellon (the weekend sport for young adults that are essentially drunkenly protesting the recent "no drinking in public" law - get enough hords of people together and the police are too overwhelmed to care). Thousands of young Spaniards were gathered together to drink the night away before stumbling it off at the fair. It was by far one of the most overwhelming sites I've seen in Spain thus far, and not one that I was eager to participate in either.

That nights we fell asleep to the murmur of activity from the streets below of all those enjoying Ferria until the early morning hours. It was the end of the great weekend and a thorough cultural experience.

Lesson #1 in Spain

It is impossible to do anything quickly in Spain, at least when one is relying on other people to also move quickly. This is not a value judgment, at least not initially, because natives don’t care and don’t have the need to do anything with great speed. So it really only bothers people, like me, who are accustomed to other things.

Today I had an hour break between two of my classes and I had some errands to run. Because my school is in the center of the city, I figured this would not be a hard task to complete.
I walked briskly to El Corte Ingles, the main store in the center, much like a department store with most everything you’d ever have a desire to find. My list was short: birthday card, and snacks. After getting the card (which took slightly more time than I had allotted) I went up to the market and found some fast snack and went to stand in the line.

Lesson #1: Markets are ALWAYS busy in Cordoba. And even if there aren’t a lot of people in the isles (which there usually are), there are always a lot of people waiting to check out. I think there are usually a lot of people in the markets because unlike the US, people grocery shop most days (they don’t have the tendency to “stock up” to the same degree that we do, and are therefore having to shop on a daily basis for most meals they prepare. So the lines are always long partially because there are always a lot of people. But the lines are also very long because there isn’t the same demand/pressure/necessity for the cashier to work briskly (I think this could possibly originate from their naturally slower pace in Spain or the fact that every job has tenure). So the cashiers take their time, do their own price checks, stop the line to do an exchange, all various things that inevitably make the lines incredibly long and slow.

Today was no different. At first I was waiting in a line when an older couple with a filled cart [very intentionally] cut the line in front of me and told me I was better off waiting in a different line. OK. I moved to a different line where the cashier was nowhere to be found. I then moved to another line. The first customer was counting out exact change (oh, and they usually only deal in cash, and in [mostly] exact change, so it takes a little longer than just swiping a card). Then an older gentleman that had already checked out was waiting for a price check (and I assume a refund too) which the cashier started to help then had to call over another cashier (who was already having issues with her stand). I was still another 3 people deep in line and had to forfeit my groceries so I could ensure getting back to school in time.

I was definitely frustrated (mostly because I was hungry), but also was fully aware that it was probably only a problem for me and no one else (who are probably all very accustomed to such practices), which put it all in perspective. Overall, I came to the conclusion that the reason everyone is notoriously late is Spain is because they’re all waiting in market lines.

Little spanish tradition

There is an odd tradition that I’ve noticed. Most late afternoons and early evenings there is a group of older people that sit outside on the benches lining the sidewalk diving the main street below our apartment. I’m not sure what they do (besides talk), but it is remarkable and I love it. In Spain it is untraditional to invite people other than family into your home, and this is why it is very common for people to go out a lot (either for drinks or small meals). So it also seems to reason that since they don’t invite friends in, one must go out, and I think that’s exactly what all these people are doing. And for me, it’s so very amusing. Maybe one day I’ll sit with them.

Back to school again.

So as I said in my last post, a lot has happened since I first arrived in Cordoba: one being that I found an apartment and the other being that I had started work.
Last Thursday was my first official day working at my school.

There is actually one other American from my program that also works at my school, Luis de Góngora. The day before our first day, we dropped by the school to meet our coordinator, César (actually Andrew, the other American, had already met him). It was a relief going before our actual first day as it relieved much of the anxiety I had over just showing up (not only would I have probably come much earlier than needed, but I wouldn’t have known how to get in, where to go, or who I was to meet, all things I didn’t particularly want to leave to the first day).

We arrived at 10:30 and met with Cesar to go over our schedules for the rest of the year. Cesar had split two schedules mostly evenly: one with most afternoons off and Fridays free, the other with mornings off and Mondays free. Andrew and I both wanted the same schedule (the one with Fridays off) and ended up flipping a coin for it. I won the toss and therefore have Fridays off. Although it does come with a bit of a price: the schedule isn’t as compact (more free periods in between classes) including one class in the evening (745-830) which means walking the distance twice in one day. Kind of sucks, but I knew that most everyone else would probably have Fridays off two and it would absolutely suck (maybe not absolutely, but would be unfortunate) if I had to work.

After working only an hour, it was break time and the teachers took us to a place next to school and treated us to Chocolate y churros (my first since returning to Spain – absolutely delicious!). There we met the headmaster and a couple other teachers, also escaping school for their break (all making the point that there used to be a cafeteria within the school but no one went because it gave them the creeps and they just preferred leaving). We also learned that the school itself is hundreds of years old, at first being a private school run by the church and then made public in the 19th century.

Back to finishing the schedules and going through duties. To finish off the day, Andrew and I were introduced to Cesar’s class where we got asked the normal routine of “what is your favorite…” questions.

Today I had a conversation class with the Arts and Crafts teacher who happens to be an extraordinary comic writer. I also taught two of my cultural lessons (one of which I didn’t get to complete as it took the first 20 minutes to actually find the classroom, the other I had too much time and resulted to more “what is your favorite…” questions, which I figure aren’t too bad for the first day of class).

My last class finished at 3:00. I went back to the bilingual office where I wrote I quick email, gathered up my things and shut down the computer. I couldn’t have been more than 5 minutes. When I left the office and was locking up, I was gently scolded for still being inside the building and was told I needed to leave immediately. This wasn’t shocking but I couldn’t help but feel how strange it was that it was so uncommon (and not even allowed) for teachers to stay after classes, either working or helping students. It was definitely very different from what I was used to going to school.

Tomorrow I have 2 more culture lessons and another conversation class (this time with the Math teacher). I will finish class at 11:30, so I wont have the same time conflict when leaving as I did today. ☺

Finding a Piso en Cordoba

So it’s been a little over a week since I arrived in Cordoba and everything is vastly different than it was a week ago. One being that I have a home. Two being that I’ve starting working.
My first few days in Cordoba were mostly filled with apartment hunting. Overall I visited 5 apartments, all very different and very interesting. In the order that I visited them:

Piso #1: In Ciudad Jardin. 20 minute walk to work. British girl that also came to Spain to teach was moving to different city. Big kitchen, one bathroom, sitting room a little run down. Bedroom had 2 [questionably comfortable] beds, large armoire which fit two beds, and nothing else (no desk). Didn’t meet either of the potential roommates. 220 euro/mo.

Piso #2: On Avda Barcelona. 25-30 minute scenic walk to work. Big kitchen, one bathroom, room well equipped (although did forget to try out bed). Would not have been able to move in immediately, and potential roommate did not seem especially friendly. 165 euro/mo.

Piso #3: In Ciudad Jardin. 20-25 minute walk to work. Big kitchen. 2 bathrooms. 2 roommates, both friendly (although 1 smoker). 2 decent mattresses in room, small desk, and had one of the 5 balconies in the apartment. 160euro/mo.

Piso #4: In Santa Marina. 15 minute walk to work. Small kitchen, small bathroom, 4 bedrooms. Shared washing machine on roof (with beautiful view). Kind of old and not very well equipped. Very kind potential roommate. 150 euro/mo.

Piso #5: In the Center. 5-10 minute walk to work. Decent kitchen, big bathroom, no air or heating, 2 private patios. Queen bed, big armoire, dresser, and 2 night stands. Hadn’t met potential roommate (only one other room). 225 euro/mo + 100euro finding fee.

In the end I chose Piso (apartment) #3. I was between #5 and #3 and even after choosing 3 I immediately doubted my decision, mostly because of the smoker and the distance to work. But ultimately I chose 3 because I liked the roommates, I liked the price, and overall it definitely seemed like the coziest apartment of the two. And anyone who knows me knows that being cozy is very important to me. When I picked up my keys a couple days later I found out that there was another flatmate that I hadn’t met yet (I failed to notice that there were 4 rooms instead of 3). So in total there are 2 girls and 2 boys. All are students at the university and seem very low-key. There’s Isa (22), Carlos (23), Paco (21)! I definitely have the “small room” but it’s adequate and I love it. There are things that still need to be fixed in it (the shelf in the closet, an outlet by my desk), and once that happens and we get internet (hopefully this week – it’s in the works), I know I will feel even better.

Upon arriving back to the piso after my first day of work, late and dragging my few remaining bags from the hotel, my roommates were sitting down to lunch and they asked me if I had eaten anything yet. Of course I hadn’t and had been expecting to still go grocery shopping before I could eat lunch, I was extremely grateful for their invitation and generosity and sat down with my three other roommates for my first meal in the apartment. Since they have also invited me out a few different times. And I’ve been impressed with Isa’s organization and the overall cleanliness of the apartment (we have a chore chart!). So regardless of the few minor things that still need to be resolved, at the present moment, I couldn’t be happier with my decision.